Madam Speaker, there is no misunderstanding about what observer status means. There are all kinds of precedents of other entities with observer status. As I mentioned in my previous comments, the Vatican has observer status and yet it is not a country.The Palestinian National Council has observer status.

Everybody knows what observer status means. It gives countries access to information and allows them to have input into health issues that affect the entire world. Now that the world has experienced this incredible SARS situation, it makes it more essential that this health issue, and it is a health issue, should be addressed and Taiwan should be granted observer status.

Madam Speaker, over the weekend China offered help to Taiwan on the current SARS situation in Taipei and the surrounding areas. I wonder if the hon. member can comment as to whether this has anything to do with the application made by Taiwan for observer status at the WHO.

Madam Speaker, I cannot speak on behalf of China but I acknowledge its effort, and it was a good effort. However perhaps China could sponsor Taiwan to become part of the WHO, which would have much more impact.

I would encourage and I think the Government of Canada should encourage China to allow Taiwan to be granted observer status in the WHO.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of all Canadian film buffs, it is a great pleasure for me to congratulate director Denys Arcand for winning the award for best screenplay at the 56th Cannes film festival for his film, Les Invasions Barbares .

With this film, which continues to move audiences and is destined for great success, Denys Arcand has proven yet again his enormous talent as a cinematographer.

Congratulations also to Marie-Josée Croze, who won the best actress award for her role in the film. I was among those who gave a more than ten-minute standing ovation to Mr. Arcand, to the producer, Ms. Robert, to the cast and to the entire team who worked on this jewel in the crown of Canadian cinema.

I want to congratulate them personally as well. This year, we have had a strong presence at Cannes, and I think congratulations should also go to the team at Telefilm Canada for its excellent work in ensuring that Canadian and Quebec films are well represented.

Madam Speaker, at a time when relations with our neighbours warrant improvement, the Prime Minister has shown both disregard and contempt for our relations with one of our greatest friends and largest trading partners, the United States of America.

With many issues now present to discuss, the Prime Minister has found it timely to host the Prime Minister of France. Given our current relations with the Americans and their own current difficulties with the French government, this was a display of ignorance and blatant disregard of our own national interest. While relations with France are important, now is not the time to concentrate on them.

Let me tell members about the farmers and ranchers in my area and most of the west who do not care that the Australian prime minister was invited to the Bush ranch and that the Canadian Prime Minister was not. What they do care about is re-opening the U.S.-Canada border to beef.

The Prime Minister's blatant “thumb in the eye of the Americans” is all about timing. Let me repeat, it is about timing and now was not the time to host the French prime minister.

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister of Canada addressed his best wishes to Msgr. Gérard Drainville on his 50 years of priesthood, 25 years of that as a bishop, which were celebrated on May 18, 2003, at the Amos cathedral in Abitibi.

The Prime Minister of Canada wrote the following:

I have no doubt that this very special day will reawaken many precious memories. In the many years you have devoted to serving the Church, you have done a remarkable job, deserving of respect and admiration.

The celebrations marking this double anniversary attest to the affection and gratitude of those to whom you have devoted so many years.

Madam Speaker, last week Barb Tarbox died, as she knew she would, from lung cancer caused by smoking.

Many Canadians, especially teens, will know her as a tireless advocate against smoking. Her brutal realism and shock truth was intentional. She was saying to those kids, “Look at what smoking can do to you. Look at my head. Look at what smoking has done to my body. Look at me”. How ironic for a woman who was drop-dead gorgeous and a famous international model to be destroyed by the ravages of lung cancer.

Everyone wants to make their lives count for something but so few of us do. Barb Tarbox died telling kids, “Don't start smoking,” or, on a Nike theme, “Just don't do it”. She made her life count for something and she inspired us all.

Maybe, just maybe, some kid will not start or will quit. God bless Barb Tarbox. She was an inspiration to us all.

I would like to make special note of a number of organizations in my city of Calgary that have come together to sponsor events commemorating Asian Heritage Month. These are: the Tibetan community; the Iranian Cultural Society, Council of Sikh Organizations, the Calgary Multi-Cultural Centre. Also included are these associations: India Canada, Cambodia Canada; Pakistan Canada; Bangladesh Canada; Calgary Vietnamese Chinese; Great Wall Cultural and Recreational Association; and Hoy Sun Association of Calgary, under the able leadership of Hoy Sun president Peter Eng and vice-president Pat Lam.

I invite all members of the House and all Canadians to celebrate the legacy of Canadians of Asian heritage, and applaud their commitment to unity that ensures the harmony and strength of our wonderful country.

Mr. Speaker, May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month in Canada, and although one in 25 Canadians carries the defective gene responsible for CF, most people are unfamiliar with this disease.

Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal inherited disease affecting young Canadians. It causes severe problems with breathing and also results in difficulty digesting and absorbing adequate nutrition from food.

In 1960, cystic fibrosis was considered a children's disease. Thanks to Canadian research, funded in part by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, young Canadians with CF today are living into their thirties and beyond.

Yesterday CF supporters in over 74 communities across Canada participated in the annual Zellers family walk for cystic fibrosis. I congratulate them in their attempts to raise awareness and support for a cure.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we anxiously waited to find out who the big winners would be at the closing ceremonies of the 56th Cannes Film Festival. Canada was represented by an impressive selection of films.

Allow me specifically to congratulate Denys Arcand, who won the prestigious Prix du scénario for his feature film, Les Invasions barbares , and Quebecois actress Marie-Josée Croze, who won best female performance for her role in the same remarkable film. Les Invasions barbares literally won the hearts of the festival-goers.

The Government of Canada is proud to support the Canadian film industry, which projects all the richness and diversity of our culture on the big screen.

Mr. Speaker, colleagues, join me in wishing Mr. Arcand and his film, Les Invasions barbares , much success in Canada and the world.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to the House's attention the terrible earthquake that recently afflicted the people of Algeria. The earthquake has already claimed over 2,000 lives, injured almost 9,000 people and left countless people homeless. Even more are still missing. It is the worst earthquake in the country in 23 years.

In its efforts to help the people of Algeria in this difficult time, the Government of Canada has made an immediate contribution of $200,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

I would ask the House to join me in offering our condolences and support to the citizens of Algeria who have suffered from the earthquake and those who have lost friends and family members. We wish to extend all condolences to the people of Algeria.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express the concern of farmers across Ontario about the recent BSE outbreak and the effect it will have on this vital industry. Canada is the world's third largest exporter of beef and beef cattle, and the beef industry is an important part of Ontario agriculture.

In eastern Ontario alone, beef added $700 million to the provincial economy last year. That is why we in the Canadian Alliance are committed to ensuring that the confidence of both Canadian and foreign consumers of Canadian beef is restored through effective action from both the federal and provincial governments.

Ontario's farmers and Ontario's minister of agriculture stand ready to do all that is necessary to avoid the potential devastation that could result from a protracted ban on imports to the United States. Although there has been no hint of BSE in Ontario, the provincial government will assist in any way that it can to re-establish Canada's international reputation as the producer of the world's best beef.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with regard to a project that is critical not only to Canada's place as a world leader in research and innovation, but also to our quest to find a plentiful and sustainable source of energy for the planet.

The ITER, or international thermonuclear experimental reactor project, is the next step in fusion power research. Should the Canadian bid to host ITER be successful, our country would host 250 of the world's top nuclear scientists and reap the benefits of an $18 billion, 30 year project being located in the Durham region.

This week, along with the hon. member for Durham, I am pleased to welcome representatives of the Durham community and ITER Canada to Ottawa to bring this critical project to the attention of hon. members.

I ask all hon. members to join me in supporting this remarkable project that is the next step in ensuring a clean, sustainable supply of energy for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, once again this government has sold Atlantic Canada down the river.

For over a year the Minister for International Trade promised to find a made in Canada solution, a long term solution, to the softwood lumber deal, but now the minister has put on the table a proposed two year solution in which Atlantic Canada loses its exemption from export taxes.

Just last February the Minister for International Trade stood in the House and said, “...let us be very clear. We are not going to renegotiate the situation of Atlantic Canada that has been exempted”.

We are now learning that on Friday they made a proposal which gives that exemption away.

For years the Maritime Lumber Bureau in Atlantic Canada negotiated the softwood lumber exemption, and incredibly, the Department of International Trade has now offered to give it away. This sets a dangerous precedent and I ask the minister to move quickly to withdraw the proposal that gives up the Atlantic Canada exemption on softwood lumber.